LIFE  AND  DEAT1 

AND  OTHER  STORIES  AND  LEGENDS 


UC-NRLF 


HENRYK   SIENK1" 


LIBRARY 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Class 


Life  and  Death 

And  Other  Legends  and  Stories 


THE  WORKS  OF 

HENRYK  SIENKIEWICZ 

Translated  from  the  Original  Polish  by 
Jeremiah  Curtin. 


The  Zagloba  Romances 
With  Fire  and  Sword,      i  vol. 
The   Deluge.      2  vols. 
Pan  Michael,     i  vol. 


Quo  Vadis.      1  vol. 
The  Knights  of  the  Cross.      2  vols. 
Children   of  the  Soil,      i  vol. 
Hania,   and  Other  Stories,     i  vol. 

SlELANKA,     AND    OTHER    StORIES.        I   Vol. 

In  Vain,      i  vol. 

Life   and  Death  and  Other  Legends  and 
Stories,      i  vol. 


Without  Dogma.  (Translated  by  Iza  Young.) 
I  vol. 


S  m 


o 


Life  and  Death 


And  Other  Legends  and  Stories 

By 

Henryk  Sienkiewicz 

Author  of  "  With  Fire  and  Sword,"    "  The  Deluge," 

"  Pan  Michael,"   "  Quo  Vadis,"    "  Knights 

of  the  Cross,"  etc. 

Translated  from  the  Original  Polish  by 
Jeremiah  Curtin 


Boston 
Little,  Brown,  and  Company 

1904 


ESERVATION 
ipY  ADDED 
HGINALTOBE 
TAWED 

UN,  2  3  1994 


::sral 

Copyright,  1897,  1S99,  1900,  1904, 
By  Jeremiah  Curtin. 


All  rights  reserved 


THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS 
CAMBRIDGE,       U.  S.  A. 


$4  Aar 


PREFACE 

"Is  He  the  Dearest  One?"  was  pro- 
due ed  under  the  following  circumstances: 
About  fourteen  years  ago  there  was  a 
famine,  or  at  least  hunger,  in  Silesia. 
Though  that  land  is  a  German  possession 
at  present,  it  was  once  a  part  of  the 
Polish  Commonwealth,  and  there  are 
many  un-Germanized  Poles  in  it  yet. 

The  mother  in  this  sketch  is  Poland. 
Tasko,  the  most  unfortunate  of  her  sons, 
is  Silesia.  Poor,  illfated,  he  neglects 
his  own  language,  forgets  his  mother ; 
but  she  does  not  forget  him,  as  was 
shown  on  the  occasion  of  that  hunger  in 


■4   0>  r*S  /"» 


689 


PRE FA CE 


Silesia.  The  Poles  of  Russian  Poland 
collected  one  million  marks  and  sent  them 
to  Tasko. 

The  ship  "Purple"  represents  Poland 
and  its  career,  and  is  a  very  brief  sum- 
mary of  the  essence  and  meaning  of 
Polish  history.  Like  some  of  the  author  s 
most  beautiful  short  productions,  it  was 
written  for  a  benevolent  object,  all  the 
money  obtained  for  it  being  devoted  to 
that  object. 

All  persons  who  have  read  "Charcoal 
Sketches"  in  Sienkiewicz  s  "Hania," 
will  be  interested  to  learn  the  origin  of 
that  striking  production.  It  was  written 
mainly  and  finished  in  Los  Angeles,  CaL, 
as  Sienkiewicz  told  me  in  Switzerland 
six  years  ago,  but  it  was  begun  at 
Anaheim  Landing,  as  is  described  in  the 


PREFACE 


sketch  printed  in  this  volume,  "  'The 
Cranes  **  Besides  being  begun  at  Ana- 
heim Landing,  the  whole  plan  of"  Char- 
coal  Sketches"  was  worked  out  there. 
"The  Cranes"  appeared  in  Lvov,  or 
Lemburg,  a  few  years  ago,  in  a  paper 
which  was  published  for  one  day  only, 
and  was  made  up  of  contributions  from 
Polish  authors  who  gave  these  contri- 
butions for  a  benevolent  purpose.  The 
Hindu  legend,  "Life  and  Death"  to  be 
read  by  Sienkiewicz  at  Warsaw  in 
January,  is  his  latest  work. 


JEREMIAH  CURTIN. 


Torbole,  Lago  di  Gar 'da ,  Austria, 
December  18,  190J. 


Vll 


CONTENTS 

Page 

Life  and  Death  :   A  Hindu  Legend  3 

Is  He  the  Dearest  One?    ....  21 

A  Legend  of  the  Sea 29 

The  Cranes 41 

The  Judgment  of  Peter   and   Paul 

on  Olympus 55 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

A   HINDU  LEGEND 


LIFE  AND  DEATH 

A   HINDU    LEGEND 

I 

LIFE    AND    DEATH 

THERE  were  two  regions 
lying  side  by  side,  as  it 
were  two  immense  plains, 
with  a  clear  river  flowing  between 
them. 

At  one  point  the  banks  of  this 
river  sloped  gently  to  a  shallow  ford 
in  the  shape  of  a  pond  with  trans- 
parent, calm  water. 

Beneath  the  azure  surface  of  this 
ford  could  be  seen  its  golden  bed, 
from  which  grew  stems  of  lotus ;  on 
those  stems  bloomed  white  and  rose- 

3 


LIFE   ANJD    DEATH 

colored  flowers  above  the  mirror  of 
water.  Rainbow-hued  insects  and 
butterflies  circled  around  the  flowers 
and  among  the  palms  of  the  shore, 
while  higher  up  in  the  sunny  air 
birds  gave  out  sounds  like  those  of 
silver  bells.  This  pond  was  the  pas- 
sage from  one  region  to  the  other. 

The  first  region  was  called  the 
Plain  of  Life,  the  second  the  Plain 
of  Death. 

The  supreme  and  all  mighty- 
Brahma  had  created  both  plains,  and 
had  commanded  the  good  Vishnu  to 
rule  in  the  Region  of  Life,  while 
the  wise  Siva  was  lord  in  the  Region 
of  Death. 

"  Do  what  ye  understand  to  be 
best,"  said  Brahma  to  the  two  rulers. 
4 


LIFE   AND   DEATH 

Hence  in  the  region  belonging  to 
Vishnu  life  moved  with  all  its  ac- 
tivity. The  sun  rose  and  set ;  day 
followed  night,  and  night  followed 
day ;  the  sea  rose  and  fell ;  in  the 
sky  appeared  clouds  big  with  rain  ; 
the  earth  was  soon  covered  with 
forests,  and  crowded  with  beasts, 
birds,  and  people. 

So  that  all  living  creatures  might 
increase  greatly  and  multiply,  the 
kindly  god  created  Love,  which  he 
made  to  be  Happiness   also. 

After  this  Brahma  summoned 
Vishnu  and  said  to  him  : 

"  Thou  canst  produce  nothing  bet- 
ter on  earth,  and  since  heaven  is 
created  already  by  me,  do  thou  rest 
and  let  those  whom  thou  callest 
5 


LIFE   AND   DEATH 

people  weave  the  thread  of  life  for 
themselves  unassisted." 

Vishnu  obeyed  this  command,  and 
henceforward  men  ordered  their  own 
lives.  From  their  good  thoughts 
came  joy,  from  their  evil  ones,  sorrow ; 
and  they  saw  soon  with  wonder  that 
life  was  not  an  unbroken  rejoicing, 
but  that  with  the  life  thread  which 
Brahma  had  mentioned  they  wove  out 
two  webs  as  it  were  with  two  faces, 
—  on  one  of  these  was  a  smile  ;  there 
were  tears  in  the  eyes  of  the  other. 

They  went  then  to  the  throne  of 
Vishnu  and  made  complaint  to  him  : 

"  O  Lord  !  life  is  grievous  through 
sorrow/' 

"  Let    Love  give  you  happiness," 

said  Vishnu  in  answer. 
6 


LIFE   AND   DEATH 

At  these  words  they  went  away 
quieted,  for  Love  indeed  scattered 
their  sorrows,  which,  in  view  of  the 
happiness  given,  seemed  so  insignifi- 
cant as  to  be  undeserving  of  notice. 

But  Love  is  also  the  mighty  mother 
of  life,  hence,  though  the  region 
which  Vishnu  ruled  was  enormous, 
it  was  soon  insufficient  for  the  myriads 
of  people ;  soon  there  was  not  fruit 
enough  upon  trees  there,  nor  berries 
enough  upon  bushes,  nor  honey 
enough  from  cliff  bees. 

Thereupon  all  the  men  who  were 
wisest  fell  to  cutting  down  forests  for 
the  clearing  of  land,  for  the  sowing 
of  seed,  for  the  winning  of  harvests. 

Thus  Labor  appeared  among  peo- 
ple. Soon  all  had  to  turn  to  it,  and 
7 


LIFE   AND   DEATH 

labor  became  not  merely  the  basis  of 
life,  but  life  itself  very  nearly. 

But  from  Labor  came  Toil,  and 
Toil  produced  Weariness. 

Great  throngs  of  people  appeared 
before  Vishnu  a  second  time. 

"  O  Lord  !  "  exclaimed  they, 
stretching  their  hands  to  him,  "  toil 
has  weakened  our  bodies,  weariness 
spreads  through  our  bones,  we  are 
yearning  for  rest,  but  Life  drives  us 
always  to  labor." 

To  this  Vishnu  answered  : 

"  The  great  and  all  mighty  Brahma 
has  not  allowed  me  to  shape  Life 
any  further,  but  I  am  free  to  make 
that  which  will  cause  it  to  halt,  and 
rest  will  come  then  to  you." 

And  Vishnu  made  Sleep. 


LIFE    AND    DEATH 

Men  received  this  new  gift  with 
rejoicing,  and  very  soon  saw  in  it 
one  of  the  greatest  boons  given  by 
the  deity  thus  far.  In  sleep  van- 
ished care  and  vexation,  during  sleep 
strength  returned  to  the  weary  ;  sleep, 
like  a  cherishing  mother,  wiped 
away  tears  of  sorrow  and  surrounded 
the  heads  of  the  slumbering  with 
oblivion. 

So  people  glorified  sleep,  and 
repeated  : 

"  Be  blessed,  for  thou  art  far  better 
than  life  in  our  waking  hours." 

And  they  had  one  regret  only, 
that  it  did  not  continue  forever. 
After  sleep  came  awakening,  and  after 
awakening  came  labor  with  fresh 
toil  and  weariness. 
9 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

This  thought  began  soon  to 
torture  all  men  so  sorely,  that  for 
the  third  time  they  stood  before 
Vishnu. 

"  O  Lord,"  said  they,  "  thou  hast 
given  us  a  boon  which,  though  great 
and  unspeakably  precious,  is  incom- 
plete as  it  now  appears.  Wilt  thou 
grant  us  that  sleep  be  eternal  ? " 

Vishnu  wrinkled  his  brows  then 
in  anger  at  this  their  insistence,  and 
answered : 

"  I  cannot  give  what  ye  ask  of  me, 
but  go  to  the  neighboring  ford,  and 
beyond  ye  will  find  that  for  which 
ye  are  seeking/' 

The  people  heard  the  god's  voice 
and  went  on  in  legions  immediately. 
They  went    to    the  ford,  and,  halt- 

IO 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

ing  there,  gazed  at  the  shore  lying 
opposite. 

Beyond  the  clear,  calm,  and  flower- 
bedecked  surface  stretched  the  Plain 
of  Death,  or  the  Kingdom  of 
Siva. 

The  sun  never  rose  and  never  set 
in  that  region;  there  was  no  day  and 
no  night  there,  but  the  whole  plain 
was  of  a  lily-colored,  absolute  clear- 
ness. No  shadow  fell  in  that  region, 
for  clearness  inhered  there  so  thor- 
oughly that  it  seemed  the  real  essence 
of  Siva's  dominions. 

The  region  was  not  empty.  As 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  were  seen 
heights  and  valleys  where  beautiful 
trees  stood  in  groups ;  on  those  trees 
rose  climbing  plants,  while  ivy  and 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

grapevines  were  hanging  from  the 
cliff  sides. 

But  the  cliffs  and  the  tree  trunks 
and  the  slender  plant  stems  were 
almost  transparent,  as  if  formed  out 
of  light  grown  material.  The  leaves 
of  the  ivy  had  in  them  a  delicate 
roseate  light  as  of  dawn.  And  all 
was  in  marvellous  rest,  such  as  none 
on  the  Plain  of  Life  had  experienced ; 
all  was  as  if  sunk  in  serene  medita- 
tion, as  if  dreaming  and  resting  in 
continuous  slumber,  unthreatened  by 
waking. 

In  the  clear  air  not  the  slightest 
breeze  was  discovered,  not  a  flower 
was  seen  moving,  not  a  leaf  showed 
a  quiver. 

The  people  who  had  come  to  the 

12 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

shore  with  loud  conversation  and 
clamor  grew  silent  at  sight  of  those 
lily-colored,  motionless  spaces,  and 
whispered : 

"  What  quiet !  How  everything 
rests  there  in  clearness  !  " 

"Oh,  yes,  there  is  rest  and  un- 
broken repose  in  that  region. " 

So  some,  namely,  those  who  were 
weariest,  said  after  a  silence : 

"  Let  us  find  the  sleep  which  is 
surely  unbroken." 

And  they  entered  the  water. 
The  rainbow-hued  surface  opened 
straightway  before  them,  as  if  wish- 
ing to  lighten  the  passage.  Those 
who  remained  on  the  shore  began 
now  to  call  after  them,  but  no 
man  turned  his  head,  and  all  hur- 
13 


LIFE  AND  DEA  TH 

ried  forward  with  willingness  and 
lightly,  attracted  more  and  more  by 
the  charm  of  that  wonderful  region. 

The  throng  which  gazed  from  the 
shore  of  Life  at  them  noted  this  also  : 
that  as  they  moved  forward  their 
bodies  grew  gradually  less  heavy,  be- 
coming transparent  and  purer,  more 
radiant,  and  as  it  were  blending  with 
that  absolute  clearness  which  filled 
the  whole  Plain  of  Death,  Siva's 
kingdom. 

And  when  they  had  passed  and 
disposed  themselves  amid  flowers  and 
at  trees  or  the  bases  of  cliffs,  to  re- 
pose there,  their  eyes  were  closed, 
but  their  faces  had  on  them  not 
only  an  expression  of  ineffable  peace, 
but  also  of  happiness  such  as  Love 
H 


LIFE   AND  DEATH 

itself  on  the  Plain  of  Life  had  never 
given. 

Seeing  this,  those  who  had  halted 
behind  said  one  to  another : 

"  The  region  belonging  to  Siva  is 
sweeter  and  better/' 

And  they  began  to  pass  to  that 
shore  in  increasing  numbers.  There 
went  in  solemn  procession  old  men, 
and  men  in  ripe  years,  and  hus- 
bands and  wives,  and  mothers  who 
led  little  children,  and  maidens,  and 
youths,  and  then  thousands  and  mil- 
lions of  people  pushed  on  toward  that 
Calm  Passage,  till  at  last  the  Plain  of 
Life  was  depopulated  almost  entirely. 

Then  Vishnu,  whose  task  it  was  to 
keep  life  from  extinction,  was  fright- 
ened because  of  the  advice  which  he 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

had  given  in  his  anger,  and  not 
knowing  what  to  do  else  hastened 
quickly  to  Brahma. 

"  Save  Life,  O  Creator ! "  said  he. 
"  Behold,  thou  hast  made  the  inher- 
itance of  Death  now  so  beautiful,  so 
serene,  and  so  blissful  that  all  men 
are  leaving  my  kingdom." 

"  Have  none  remained  with  thee 
there  ? "   inquired  Brahma. 

"  Only  one  youth  and  one  maiden, 
who  are  in  love  beyond  measure ; 
they  renounce  endless  bliss  rather 
than  close  their  eyes  and  gaze  on 
each  other  no  longer." 

"What  dost  thou  wish,  then  ?" 

"  Make   the  region  of  Death  less 

delightful,  less  happy ;   if  not,   even 

those  two  when  their  springtime  of 
16 


LIFE   AND    DEATH 

love  shall  be  ended  will  leave  me 
and  follow  the  others." 

Brahma  thought  for  a  moment 
and  answered : 

"  No  !  Oh  no  !  I  will  not  decrease 
beauty  and  happiness  in  the  region 
of  Death,  but  I  will  do  something 
for  Life  in  its  own  realm.  Hence- 
forward people  will  not  pass  to  the 
other  shore  willingly,  they  must  be 
forced  to  it." 

When  he  had  said  this  he  made  a 
thick  veil  out  of  darkness  which  no 
one  could  see  through,  and  next  he 
created  two  terrible  beings,  one  of 
these  he  named  Fear  and  the  other 
one  Pain.  He  commanded  them 
then  to  hang  that  black  veil  at  the 
Passage. 

2  17 


LIFE   AND   DEATH 

Thereafter  Vishnu's  kingdom  was 
as  crowded  with  life  as  it  had  been, 
for  though  the  region  of  Death  was 
as  calm,  as  serene,  and  as  blissful  as 
ever,  people  dreaded  the  Passage. 


18 


SMALL   CHAPEL   ON    THE   SIENKIEWICZ    ESTATE 


IS   HE  THE    DEAREST    ONE? 


II 

IS   HE   THE    DEAREST    ONE? 

IN  the  distance  a  dark  strip  of 
pine  wood  was  visible.  In 
front  of  the  wood  was  a 
meadow,  and  amid  fields  of  grain 
stood  a  cottage  covered  with  a  straw 
roof  and  with  moss.  Birch  trees  hung 
their  tresses  above  it.  On  a  fir  tree 
stood  a  stork  on  its  nest,  and  in  a 
cherry  garden  were  dark  beehives. 

Through  an  open  gate  a  wanderer 
walked  into  the  yard  and  said  to  the 
mistress  of  the  cottage,  who  was 
standing  on  its  threshold  : 

21 


IS  HE  THE  DEAREST  ONE? 

"  Peace  to  this  quiet  house,  to 
those  trees,  to  the  grain,  to  the  whole 
place,  and  to  thee,  mother  !  " 

The  woman  greeted  him  kindly, 
and  added : 

"  I  will  bring  bread  and  milk  to 
thee,  wayfarer;  but  sit  down  the 
while  and  rest,  for  it  is  clear  that 
thou  art  coming  back  from  a  long 
journey." 

"  I  have  wandered  like  that  stork, 
and  like  a  swallow  ;  I  come  from  afar, 
I  bring  news  from  thy  children/' 

Her  whole  soul  rushed  to  the  eyes 
of  that  mother,  and  she  asked  the 
wayfarer  straightway  : 

"  Dost  thou  know  of  my  Yasko  ? " 

"  Dost  thou  love  that  son  most 
that    thou    askest    first    about     him  ? 


IS  HE  THE  JDEAREST  ONE? 

Well,  one  son  of  thine  is  in  forests, 
he  works  with  his  axe,  he  spreads  his 
net  in  lakes ;  another  herds  horses  in 
the  steppe,  he  sings  plaintive  songs 
and  looks  at  the  stars  ;  the  third  son 
climbs  mountains,  passes  over  naked 
rocks  and  high  pastures,  spends  the 
night  with  sheep  and  shouts  at  the 
eagles.  All  bend  down  before  thy 
knees  and  send  thee  greeting." 

"  But  Yasko  ?  "  asked  the  mother 
with  an  anxious  face. 

"  I  keep  sad  news  for  the  last. 
Life  is  going  ill  with  Yasko :  the 
field  does  not  give  its  fruit  to  him, 
poverty  and  hunger  torment  the  man, 
his  days  and  months  pass  in  suffering. 
Amid  strangers  and  misery  he  has 
even  forgotten  thy  language;  forget 
23 


IS  HE  THE  DEAREST  ONE? 

him,  since  he  has  no  thought  for 
thee." 

When  he  had  finished,  the  woman 
took  the  man's  hand,  led  him  to  her 
pantry  in  the  cottage,  and,  seizing  a 
loaf  from  the  shelf,  she  said : 

"  Give  this  bread,  O  wayfarer,  to 
Yasko  !  " 

Then  she  untied  a  small  kerchief, 
took  a  bright  silver  coin  from  it,  and 
with  trembling  voice  added : 

"  I  am  not  rich,  but  this  too  is  for 
Yasko." 

"  Woman  !  "    said     the    wayfarer 

now  with  astonishment,  "  thou  hast 

many  sons,  but  thou  sendest  gifts  to 

only  one  of  them.      Dost  thou  love 

him  more    than  the  others  ?     Is  he 

the  dearest  one  ? " 
24 


IS  HE  THE  DEAREST  ONE! 

She  raised  her  great  sad  eyes,  filled 
with  tears,  and  answered : 

"  My  blessing  is  for  them  all,  but 
my  gifts  are  to  Yasko,  for  I  am  a 
mother,  and  he  is  my  poorest  son." 


25 


A   LEGEND    OF   THE   SEA 


Ill 

A    LEGEND    OF    THE    SEA 

THERE  was  a  ship  named 
"The  Purple/'  so  strong 
and  so  great  that  she  feared 
neither  winds  nor  waves,  even  when 
they  were  raging  most  terribly. 

"  The  Purple "  swept  on,  with 
every  sail  set,  she  rose  upon  each 
swelling  wave  and  crushed  with  her 
conquering  prow  hidden  rocks  on 
which  other  ships  foundered.  She 
moved  ever  forward  with  sails  which 
were  gleaming  in  sunlight,  and  moved 

with  such  swiftness  that  foam  roared 
29 


A    LEGEND    OF    THE    SEA 

at  her  sides  and  stretched  out  behind 
in  a  broad,  endless  road-streak. 

"That  is  a  glorious  craft,"  cried 
out  crews  on  all  other  ships ;  "  a 
man  might  think  that  she  sails  just 
to  punish  the  ocean." 

From  time  to  time  they  called  out 
to  the  crew  of  "  The  Purple  "  : 

"  Hei,  men,  to  what  port  are  ye 
sailing  ? " 

"To  that  port  to  which  wind 
blows,"  said  the  men  on  "The 
Purple." 

"  Have  a  care,  there  are  rocks 
ahead  !     There  are  whirlpools  !  " 

In  reply  to  this  warning  came  back 
a  song  as  loud  as  the  wind  was : 

"  Let  us  sail  on,  let  us  sail  ever 
joyously." 

3° 


A    LEGEND    OF    THE    SEA 

Men  on  "  The  Purple  "  were  glad- 
some. The  crew,  confiding  in  the 
strength  of  their  ship  and  the  size 
of  it,  jeered  at  all  perils.  On  other 
ships  stern  discipline  ruled,  but  on 
"The  Purple"  each  man  did  what 
seemed  good  to  him. 

Life  on  that  ship  was  one  ceaseless 
holiday.  The  storms  which  she  had 
passed,  the  rocks  which  she  had 
crushed,  increased  the  crew's  confi- 
dence. "  There  are  no  reefs,  there 
are  no  winds  to  wreck  this  ship," 
roared  the  sailors.  "  Let  a  hurricane 
shiver  the  ocean,  •  The  Purple '  will 
always  sail  forward." 

And  "  The  Purple"  sailed  ;  she  was 
proud,  she  was  splendid. 

Whole  years  passed  —  she  was  to 
31 


A   LEGEND    OF    THE   SEA 

all  seeming  invincible,  she  helped 
other  ships  and  took  in  on  her  deck 
drowning  passengers. 

Blind  faith  increased  every  day 
in  the  breasts  of  the  crew  on  "  The 
Purple."  They  grew  slothful  in  good 
fortune  and  forgot  their  own  art, 
they  forgot  how  to  navigate.  "  Our 
1  Purple '  will  sail  herself/'  said  they. 
"Why  toil,  why  watch  the  ship,  why 
pull  at  rudder,  masts,  sails,  and  ropes? 
Why  live  by  hard  work  and  the  sweat 
of  our  brows,  when  our  ship  is  divine, 
indestructible?  Let  us  sail  on,  let  us 
sail  joyously/ ' 

And  they  sailed  for  a  very  long 
period.  At  last,  after  years,  the  crew 
became  utterly  effeminate,  they  for- 
got every  duty,  and  no  man  of  them 
32 


A    LEGEND    OF   THE    SEA 

knew  that  that  ship  was  decaying. 
Bitter  water  had  weakened  the  spars, 
the  strong  rigging  had  loosened,  waves 
without  number  had  shattered  the 
gunwales,  dry  rot  was  at  work  in  the 
mainmast,  the  sails  had  grown  weak 
through  exposure. 

The  voice  of  sound  sense  was  heard 
now  despite  every  madness : 

"  Be  careful  !  "  cried  some  of  the 
sailors. 

"  Never  mind  !  We  will  sail  with 
the  current,"  cried  out  the  major- 
ity. But  once  such  a  storm  came 
that  to  that  hour  its  like  had  not 
been  on  the  water.  The  wind  whirled 
ocean  and  clouds  into  one  hellish 
chaos.  Pillars  of  water  rose  up 
and  flew  then  with  roars  at  "The 
3  33 


A    LEGEND    OF    THE   SEA 

Purple  "  ;  they  were  raging  and  bel- 
lowing dreadfully.  They  fell  on 
the  ship,  they  drove  her  down  to  the 
bottom,  they  hurled  her  up  to  the 
clouds,  then  cast  her  down  again. 
The  weak  rigging  snapped,  and  now 
a  quick  cry  of  despair  was  heard  on 
the  deck  of  that  vessel. 

"  '  The  Purple '  is  sinking  !  " 

"The  Purple"  was  really  sinking, 
while  the  crew,  unaccustomed  to 
work  and  to  navigate,  knew  not  how 
to  save  her. 

But  when  the  first  moment  of  terror 
had  passed,  rage  boiled  up  in  their 
hearts,  for  those  mariners  still  loved 
that  ship  of  theirs. 

All  sprang  up  speedily,  some  rushed 
to  fire  cannon-balls  at  the  winds  and 
34 


A    LEGEND  OF    THE    SEA 

foaming  water,  others  seized  what 
each  man  could  find  near  him  and 
flogged  that  sea  which  was  drowning 
"The  Purple." 

Great  was  that  fight  of  despair 
against  the  elements.  But  the  waves 
had  more  strength  than  the  mariners. 
The  guns  filled  with  water  and  then 
they  were  silent.  Gigantic  whirls 
seized  struggling  sailors  and  swept 
them  out  into  watery  chaos. 

The  crew  decreased  every  minute, 
but  they  struggled  on  yet.  Covered 
with  water,  half-blinded,  concealed 
by  a  mountain  of  foam,  they  fought 
till  they  dropped  in  the  battle. 

Strength  left  them,  but  after 
brief  rest  they  sprang  again  to  the 
struggle. 

35 


A    LEGEND    OF    THE  SEA 

At  last  their  hands  fell.  They 
felt  that  death  was  approaching.  Dull 
despair  seized  them.  Those  sailors 
looked  at  one  another  as  if  demented. 

Now  those  same  voices  which  had 
warned  previously  of  danger  were 
raised  again,  and  more  powerfully, 
so  powerfully  this  time  that  the 
roar  of  the  waves  could  not  drown 
them. 

Those  voices  said : 

"O  blind  men!  How  can  ye 
cannonade  wind,  or  flog  waves  ? 
Mend  your  vessel !  Go  to  the  hold. 
Work  there.  The  ship  '  Purple  *  is 
afloat  yet." 

At  these  words  those  mariners, 
half-dead  already,  recovered,  all  rushed 
to  the  hold  and  began  then  to  work 
36 


A    LEGEND    OF    THE  SEA 

in  it.  And  they  worked  from  morn- 
ing till  night  in  the  sweat  of  their 
brows  and  with  effort,  seeking  thus 
to  retrieve  their  past  sloth  and  their 
blindness. 


37 


THE   CRANES 


IV 
THE   CRANES 

HOMESICKNESS  (nostal- 
gia) tortures  mainly  people 
who  for  various  reasons 
are  utterly  unable  to  return  to  their 
own  country,  but  even  those  for 
whom  return  is  merely  a  question  of 
will  power  feel  its  attacks  sometimes. 
The  cause  may  be  anything :  a  sun- 
rise or  a  sunset  which  calls  to  mind 
a  dawn  or  an  evening  at  home,  some 
note  of  a  foreign  song  in  which  the 
rhythm  of  one's  own  country  is 
heard ;  some  group  of  trees  which 
41 


THE  CRANES 


call  to  mind  remotely  the  native 
village  —  anything  suffices  ! 

At  such  moments  an  immense, 
irresistible  sadness  seizes  hold  on  the 
heart,  and  immediately  a  feeling 
comes  to  a  man  that  he  is,  as  it  were, 
a  leaf  torn  away  from  a  distant  but 
beloved  tree.  And  in  such  moments 
the  man  is  forced  to  return,  or,  if 
he  has  imagination,  he  is  driven  to 
create. 

Once  —  a  good  many  years  back 
—  I  was  sojourning  on  the  shore  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean  in  a  place  called 
Anaheim  Landing.  My  society  was 
made  up  of  some  sailor  fishermen, 
Norwegians  for  the  greater  part,  and 
a  German,  who  gave  food  to  those 
fishermen  and  lodged  them.  Their 
42 


THE  CRANES 


days  were  passed  on  the  water  ;  every 
evening  they  amused  themselves  with 
poker,  a  game  at  cards  which  years 
ago  was  common  in  all  the  dram- 
shops of  America,  long  before 
fashionable  ladies  in  Europe  began 
to  play  it.  I  was  quite  alone,  and 
my  time  passed  in  wandering  with  a 
gun  over  the  open  plain  or  along  the 
shore  of  the  Pacific.  I  visited  the 
sandbanks  which  a  small  river  made 
as  with  a  broad  mouth  it  entered  the 
ocean  ;  I  waded  in  the  shallow  waters 
of  this  river,  noted  its  unknown 
fishes,  its  shells,  and  looked  at  the 
great  sea-lions  which  sunned  them- 
selves on  a  number  of  rocks  at  the 
river  mouth.  Opposite  was  a  small 
sandy  island  swarming  with  mews, 
43 


THE  CRANES 


pelicans,  and  albatrosses ;  a  real  and 
populous  bird  commonwealth,  filled 
with  cries  and  uproar. 

At  times,  when  the  day  was  calm, 
and  when  amid  silence  the  surface 
of  the  water  took  on  a  tinge  almost 
violet,  changing  into  gold,  I  sat  in 
a  boat  and  rowed  toward  the  little 
island,  on  which  pelicans,  unused  to 
the  sight  of  man,  looked  at  me  less 
with  fear  than  astonishment,  as  if 
wishing  to  ask,  "  What  sort  of  seal 
is  this  that  we  have  not  seen  till  to- 
day ? "  Frequently  I  looked  from 
that  bank  at  sunsets  which  were 
simply  marvellous ;  they  changed  the 
whole  horizon  into  one  sea,  gleam- 
ing with  gold,  fire,  and  opal,  which, 
passing  into  a  brilliant  purple,  faded 
44 


THE    CRANES 


gradually  until  the  moon  shone  on 
the  amethyst  background  of  the 
heavens,  and  the  wonderful  semi- 
tropical  night  had  embraced  the  earth 
and  the  sky.  The  empty  land,  the 
endlessness  of  the  ocean,  and  the 
excess  of  light  disposed  me  some- 
what toward  mysticism.  I  became 
pantheistic,  and  had  the  feeling  that 
everything  surrounding  me  formed 
a  certain  single  great  soul  which  ap- 
pears as  the  ocean,  the  sky,  the  plain, 
or  diminishes  into  such  small  living 
existences  as  birds,  fish,  shells,  or 
broom  on  the  ocean  shore.  At  times 
I  thought  also  that  those  sand-hills 
and  empty  banks  might  be  inhabited 
by  invisible  beings  like  the  ancient 
Greek  fauns,  nymphs,  or  naiads.  A 
45 


THE    CRANES 


man  does  not  believe  in  such  things 
when  he  turns  to  his  own  reason  ;  but 
involuntarily  he  admits  that  they  are 
possible  when  he  lives  only  with  Na- 
ture and  in  perfect  seclusion.  Life 
changes  then,  as  it  were,  into  a  drow- 
siness in  which  visions  are  more 
powerful  than  thought.  As  for  me, 
I  was  conscious  only  of  that  bound- 
less calm  which  surrounded  me,  and 
I  felt  that  it  was  pleasant  to  be  in  it. 
At  times  I  thought  of  future  "  letters 
about  my  journey";  at  times,  too, 
I,  as  a  young  man,  thought  also  of 
"  her/'  the  unknown  whom  I  should 
meet  and  love  some  time.  In  that 
relaxation  of  thought,  and  on  that 
empty,  clear  ocean  shore,  amid  those 

uncompleted    ideas,  undescribed    de- 
46 


THE    CRANES 


sires,  in  that  half  dream,  in  semi- 
consciousness, I  was  happier  than  ever 
in  life  before.  But  on  a  certain 
evening  I  sat  long  on  the  little  island 
and  returned  to  the  shore  after  night- 
fall. The  flowing  tide  brought  me 
in  —  I  scarcely  had  need  to  lift  an 
oar  then.  In  other  regions  the  flow 
of  the  tide  is  tempestuous,  but  in  that 
land  of  eternal  good  weather  waves 
touch  the  sand  shore  with  gentleness  ; 
the  ocean  does  not  strike  land  with 
an  outburst.  Such  silence  surrounded 
me  that  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore  line  I  could  have  heard  the  con- 
versation of  men.  But  that  shore  was 
unoccupied.  I  heard  only  the  squeak 
of  the  oars  on  my  boat  and  the  low 
plash  of  water  moved  by  them. 

47 


THE    CRANES 


Just  then,  from  above,  certain 
piercing  cries  reached  me.  I  raised 
my  head,  but  on  the  dark  background 
of  the  sky  I  could  discern  nothing. 
When  the  cries  were  heard  a  second 
time,  directly  above,  I  recognized  in 
them  the  voices  of  cranes. 

Evidently  a  whole  flock  of  cranes 
was  flying  somewhere  above  my  head 
toward  the  island  of  Santa  Catalina. 
But  I  remembered  that  I  had  heard 
cries  like  those  more  than  once,  when 
as  a  boy  I  journeyed  from  school  for 
vacation  —  and  straightway  a  mighty 
homesickness  seized  hold  of  me.  I 
returned  to  the  little  room  which  I 
had  hired  in  the  cabin  of  the  German, 
but  could  not  sleep.      Pictures  of  my 

country  passed  then  before  my  mind : 

48 


OF  THE    HOUSE    FROM    THE    POND    ON 
SIENKIEWICZ    ESTATE 


THE 


THE    CRANES 


now  a  pine  forest,  now  broad  fields 
with  pear  trees  on  the  boundaries, 
now  pleasant  cottages,  now  village 
churches,  now  white  mansions  sur- 
rounded by  dense  orchards.  I  yearned 
for  such  scenes  all  that  night. 

I  went  out  next  morning,  as  usual, 
to  the  sand-banks.  I  felt  that  the 
ocean  and  the  sky,  and  the  sand 
mounds  on  the  shore,  and  the  plains, 
and  the  cliffs  on  which  seals  were 
basking  in  the  sunlight,  were  things 
to  me  absolutely  foreign,  things  with 
which  I  had  nothing  in  common,  as 
they  had  nothing  in  common  with 
me. 

Only  yesterday  I  had  wandered 
about  in  that  neighborhood  and  had 
judged  that  my  pulse  was  beating  in 
4  49 


THE    CRANES 


answer  to  the  pulse  of  that  immense 
universe  ;  to-day  I  put  to  myself  this 
question  :  What  have  I  to  do  here ; 
why  do  I  not  go  back  to  my  birth- 
place ?  The  feeling  of  harmony  and 
sweetness  in  life  had  vanished,  leav- 
ing nothing  behind  it.  Time,  which 
before  had  seemed  so  quiet  and  sooth- 
ing, which  was  measured  by  the  ebb 
and  flow  of  the  ocean,  now  seemed 
unendurably  tedious.  I  began  to 
think  of  my  own  land,  of  that  which 
had  remained  in  it,  and  that  which 
had  changed  with  time's  passage. 

America  and  my  journey  ceased 
altogether  to  interest  me,  and  imme- 
diately there  swarmed  in  my  head 
a  throng  of  visions  ever  denser  and 
denser,  composed  wholly  of  memories. 
50 


THE    CRANES 


I  could  not  tear  myself  free  from 
them,  though  they  brought  no  de- 
light to  me.  On  the  contrary,  there 
was  in  those  memories  much  sadness, 
and  even  suffering,  which  rose  from 
comparing  our  sleepy  and  helpless 
country  life  with  the  bustling  activity 
of  America.  But  the  more  our  life 
seemed  to  me  helpless  and  sleepy,  the 
more  it  mastered  my  soul,  the  dearer 
it  grew  to  me,  and  the  more  I  longed 
for  it.  During  succeeding  days  the 
visions  grew  still  more  definite,  and  at 
last  imagination  began  to  develop,  to 
arrange,  to  bring  clearness  and  order 
into  one  artistic  plan.  I  began  to 
create  my  own  world. 

A  week  later,  on   a  certain  night 
when  the  Norwegians  went  out  on 
51 


THE    CRANES 


the  ocean,  I  sat  down  in  my  little 
room  and  from  under  my  pen  flowed 
the  following  words :  "  In  Barania 
Glova,  in  the  chancellery  of  the  vil- 
lage mayor,  it  was  as  calm  as  in  time 
of  sowing  poppy  seed." 

And  thus,  because  cranes  flew  over 
the  shore  of  the  Pacific,  I  composed 
"  Charcoal  Sketches." 


52 


THE   JUDGMENT  OF    PETER 
AND    PAUL   ON   OLYMPUS 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF  PETER 
AND    PAUL    ON    OLYMPUS 

A   POEM   IN   PROSE 

IT  was  a  night  of  spring,  calm, 
silvery,  and  fragrant  with  dewy 
jasmine.  The  full  moon  was 
sailing  above  Olympus,  and  on  the 
glittering,  snowy  summit  of  the 
mountain  it  shone  with  a  clear,  pen- 
sive, greenish  light.  Farther  down 
in  the  Vale  of  Tempe  was  a  dark 
thicket  of  thorn-bushes,  shaken  by 
the  songs  of  nightingales  —  by  en- 
treaties, by  complaints,  by  calls,  by 
55 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF 

allurements,  by  languor,  by  sighs. 
These  sounds  flowed  like  the  music 
of  flutes,  filling  the  night  ;  they  fell 
like  a  pouring  rain,  and  rushed  on 
like  rivers.  At  moments  they  ceased ; 
then  such  silence  followed  that  one 
might  almost  hear  the  snow  thawing 
on  the  heights  under  the  warm  breath 
of  May.  It  was  an  ambrosial  night. 
On  that  night  came  Peter  and 
Paul,  and  sat  on  the  highest  grass- 
mound  of  the  slope  to  pass  judgment 
on  the  gods  of  antiquity.  The  heads 
of  the  Apostles  were  encircled  by 
halos,  which  illuminated  their  gray 
hair,  stern  brows,  and  severe  eyes. 
Below,  in  the  deep  shade  of  beeches, 
stood  the  assembly  of  gods,  abandoned 
and  in  dread,  awaiting  their  sentence, 
56 


PETER    AND    PAUL 

Peter  motioned  with  his  hand,  and 
at  the  sign  Zeus  stepped  forth  first 
from  the  assembly  and  approached 
the  Apostles.  The  Cloud- Compeller 
was  still  mighty,  and  as  huge  as  if  cut 
out  of  marble  by  Phidias,  but  weak- 
ened and  gloomy.  His  old  eagle 
dragged  along  at  his  feet  with  broken 
wing,  and  the  blue  thunderbolt, 
grown  reddish  in  places  from  rust, 
and  partly  quenched,  seemed  to  be 
slipping  from  the  stiffening  right 
hand  of  the  former  father  of  gods 
and  men.  But  when  he  stood  before 
the  Apostles  the  feeling  of  ancient 
supremacy  filled  his  broad  breast. 
He  raised  his  head  haughtily,  and 
fixed  on  the  face  of  the  aged  fisher- 
man of  Galilee  his  proud  and  glitter- 
57 


THE   JUDGMENT    OE 

ing  eyes,  which  were  as  angry  and  as 
terrible  as  lightnings. 

Olympus,  accustomed  to  tremble 
before  its  ruler,  shook  to  its  foun- 
dations. The  beeches  quivered  with 
fear,  the  song  of  the  nightingales 
ceased,  and  the  moon  sailing  above 
the  snows  grew  as  white  as  the  linen 
web  of  Arachne.  The  eagle  screamed 
through  his  crooked  beak  for  the 
last  time,  and  the  lightning,  as  if 
animated  by  its  ancient  force,  flashed 
and  began  to  roar  terribly  at  the  feet 
of  its  master;  it  reared,  hissed,  snapped, 
and  raised  its  three-cornered,  flaming 
forehead,  like  a  serpent  ready  to  stab 
with  poisonous  fang.  But  Peter 
pressed  the  fiery  bolts  with  his  foot 
and  crushed  them  to  the  earth.  Turn- 
58 


PETER    AND    PAUL 

ing  then  to  the  Cloud-Compeller,  he 
pronounced  this  sentence :  "  Thou 
art  cursed  and  condemned  through 
all  eternity."  At  once  Zeus  was 
extinguished.  Growing  pale  in  the 
twinkle  of  an  eye,  he  whispered, 
with  blackening  lips,  "'AvdyicT)" 
("Necessity  "),  and  vanished  through 
the  earth. 

Poseidon  of  the  dark  curls  next 
stood  before  the  Apostles,  with  night 
in  his  eyes,  and  in  his  hand  the 
blunted  trident.  To  him  then  spoke 
Peter : 

"  It  is  not  thou  who  wilt  rouse 
the  billows.  It  is  not  thou  who  wilt 
lead  the  storm-tossed  ships  to  a  quiet 
haven,  but  she  who  is  called  the 
<  Star  of  the  Sea/  " 
59 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF 

When  Poseidon  heard  this  he 
screamed,  as  if  pierced  with  sudden 
pain,  and  turned  into  vanishing  mist. 

Next  rose  Apollo,  the  Silver-bowed, 
with  a  hollow  lute  in  his  hand,  and 
walked  toward  the  holy  men.  Be- 
hind him  moved  slowly  the  nine 
Muses,  looking  like  nine  white  pillars. 
Terror-stricken,  they  stood  before  the 
judgment-seat,  as  if  petrified,  breath- 
less, and  without  hope ;  but  the  radi- 
ant Apollo  turned  to  Paul,  and,  in 
a  voice  which  resembled  wondrous 
music,  said  : 

"  Slay  me  not !      Protect  me,  lord  ; 

for    shouldst     thou     slay     me,     thou 

wouldst  have   to  restore    me    to  life 

again.      I  am  the  blossom  of  the  soul 

of  humanity  ;   I   am  its   gladness ;   I 
60 


PETER    AND    PAUL 

am  light;  I  am  the  yearning  for 
God.  Thou  knowest  best  that  the 
song  of  earth  will  not  reach  heaven 
if  thou  break  its  wings.  Hence  I 
implore  thee,  O  saint,  not  to  smite 
down  Song/' 

A  moment  of  silence  came.  Peter 
raised  his  eyes  toward  the  stars. 
Paul  placed  his  hands  on  his  sword- 
hilt,  rested  his  forehead  on  them, 
and  for  a  time  fell  into  deep  thought. 
At  last  he  rose,  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross  calmly  above  the  radiant  head 
of  the  god,  and  said  : 

"  Let  Song  live  !  " 

Apollo  sat  down  with  his  lute  at 

the  feet  of  the  Apostle.      The  night 

became  clearer,  the  jasmine  gave  out 

a  stronger  perfume,   the  glad  foun- 

61 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF 

tains  sounded,  the  Muses  gathered 
together  like  a  flock  of  white  swans, 
and,  with  voices  still  quivering  from 
fear,  began  to  sing  in  low  tones  mar- 
vellous words  never  heard  on  the 
heights  of  Olympus  till  that  hour : 

To  thy  protection  we  flee,  holy   Mother 

of  God. 
We  come  with  our  prayers ;  deign  thou 

not  to  reject  us, 
But  be  pleased  to  preserve  us  from  every 

evil, 
O  thou,  our  Lady  ! 

Thus  they  sang  on  the  heather,  rais- 
ing their  eyes  like  pious  nuns  with 
heads  covered  with  white. 

Other  gods   came  now.      Bacchus 
and  his  chorus  dashed  past,  wild,  un- 
restrained,   crowned    with    ivy    and 
62 


PETER    AND    PAUL 

grapevine,  and  bearing  the  cithara 
and  the  thyrsus.  They  rushed  on 
madly,  with  shouts  of  despair,  and 
fell  into  the  bottomless  pit. 

Then  before  the  Apostles  stood  a 
lofty,  proud,  sarcastic  divinity,  who, 
without  waiting  for  question  or  sen- 
tence, spoke  first.  On  her  lips  was 
a  smile  of  derision. 

"  1  am  Pallas  Athene.  I  do  not 
beg  life  of  you.  I  am  an  illusion, 
nothing  more.  Odysseus  honored 
and  obeyed  me  only  when  he  had 
become  senile.  Telemachus  listened 
to  me  only  till  hair  covered  his  chin. 
Ye  cannot  take  immortality  from 
me,  and  I  declare  that  I  have  been 
a  shadow,  that  I  am  a  shadow  now, 
and  shall  remain  a  shadow  forever." 
63 


THE   JUDGMENT    OF 

At  last  her  turn  came  to  the  most 
beautiful,  the  most  honored  goddess. 
As  she  approached,  sweet,  marvellous, 
tearful,  the  heart  under  her  snow- 
white  breast  beat  like  the  heart  in  a 
bird,  and  her  lips  quivered  like  those 
of  a  child  that  fears  cruel  punishment. 
She  felt  at  their  feet,  and,  stretching 
forth  her  divine  arms,  cried  in  fear 
and  humility : 

"  I  am  sinful,  I  deserve  blame,  but 
I  am  Joy.  Have  mercy,  forgive  ;  I 
am  the  one  happiness  of  mankind.'' 
Then  sobbing  and  fear  took  away  her 
voice. 

But    Peter   looked  at   the  goddess 

with  compassion,  and  placed  his  aged 

palm  on  her  golden  hair,  while  Paul, 

bending    toward   a  cluster  of   white 
64 


PETER    AND    PAUL 

field-lilies,  broke  off  one  blossom,  and 
touching  her  with  it,  said : 

"  J°y>  be  henceforth  like  this 
flower,  and  live  thou  for  mankind." 

Then  came  dawn  —  the  divine 
dawn  that  looked  out  from  beyond 
a  depression  between  two  peaks. 
The  nightingales  stopped  singing, 
and  immediately  finches,  linnets,  and 
wrens  began  to  draw  their  sleepy 
little  heads  from  under  their  moist- 
ened wings,  shaking  the  dew  from 
their  feathers,  and  repeating  in  low 
voices,      "  Svit !    svit  /■"      ("  Light  ! 

light!"). 

The  earth  awoke,  smiled,  and  was 
delighted,  because  Song  and  Joy  had 
not  been  taken  from  it. 

65 


/^  or  THe  \ 

{university  J 

V^CALIFOjyiJ^ 


tHE     ZAGLOBA      ROMANCES 

by  Henry k  Sienkiewicz.  Translated  from 
the  Polish  by  Jeremiah  Curtin. 

WITH  FIRE  AND  SWORD 

An  Historical  Novel  of  Poland  and  Russia.  Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo.     $1.50. 

The  first  of  the  famous  trilogy  of  historical  romances 
of  Poland,  Russia,  and  Sweden.  Their  publication 
has  been  received  as  an  event  in  literature.  Charles 
Dudley  Warner,  in  Harper' s  Magazine,  affirms  that 
the  Polish  author  has  in  Zagloba  given  a  new  crea- 
tion to  literature, 

A  capital  story.  The  only  modern  romance  with  which  it  can 
be  compared  for  fire,  sprightliness,  rapidity  of  action,  swift  changes, 
and  absorbing  interest  is  "The  Three  Musketeers' '  of  Dumas. — 
New  York  Tribune. 

THE  DELUGE 

An  Historical  Novel  of  Poland,  Sweden,  and  Russia. 
A  Sequel  to  "  With  Fire  and  Sword.' '  With  map. 
2  vols.      Crown  8vo.     $3.00. 

Marvellous  in  its  grand  descriptions. —  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 
Has  the  humor  of  a  Cervantes  and  the  grim  vigor  of  Defoe. — 
Boston  Gazette. 

PAN  MICHAEL 
An    Historical    Novel    of  Poland,    Russia,   and    the 
Ukraine.      A  Sequel  to  "With  Fire  and  Sword" 
and  "The  Deluge."      Crown  8vo.     $1.50. 

The  interest  of  the  trilogy,  both  historical  and  romantic,  is 
splendidly  sustained. —  The  Dial,  Chicago. 

LITTLE,   BROWN,  &   COMPANY,  Publishers 
Boston,  Massachusetts 


gUO  VADIS 


A  Narrative  of  the  Time  of  Nero.  By  Henryk 
Sienkiewicz.  Translated  from  the  Polish  by  Jere- 
miah Curtin.     Illustrated.     Crown  8vo.     $1.50. 

One  of  the  greatest  books  of  our  day. —  The  Bookman. 

The  book  is  like  a  grand  historical  pageant. —  Literary  World. 

Of  intense  interest  to  the  whole  Christian  civilization. — Chicago 
Tribune. 

Interest  never  wanes ;  and  the  story  is  carried  through  its  many 
phases  of  conflict  and  terror  to  a  climax  that  enthralls. —  Chicago 
Record. 

As  a  study  of  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  of  love  into  the 
pagan  world  typified  by  Rome,  it  is  marvellously  fine. —  Chicago 
Interior. 

The  picture  here  given  of  life  in  Rome  under  the  last  of  the 
Caesars  is  one  of  unparalleled  power  and  vividness. — Boston  Home 
Journal. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  books  of  the  decade.  It  burns 
upon  the  brain  the  struggles  and  triumphs  of  the  early  church. — 
Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

It  will  become  recognized  by  virtue  of  its  own  merits  as  the  one 
heroic  monument  built  by  the  modern  novelist  above  the  ruins  of 
decadent  Rome,  and  in  honor  of  the  blessed  martyrs  of  the  early 
Church. —  Brooklyn  Eagle. 

Our  debt  to  Sienkiewicz  is  not  less  than  our  debt  to  his  trans- 
lator and  friend,  Jeremiah  Curtin.  The  diversity  of  the  language, 
the  rapid  flow  of  thought,  the  picturesque  imagery  of  the  descrip- 
tions are  all  his. — Boston  Transcript. 

LITTLE,    BROWN,   &    COMPANY,  Publishers 
Boston,  Massachusetts 


THE  KNIGHTS  OF  THE  CROSS 

An  Historical  Romance  of  Poland  and  Germany. 
By  Henryk  Sienkiewicz.  Translated  from  the 
Polish  by  Jeremiah  Curtin.  Illustrated.  2  vols. 
Crown  8vo.      $ 2. 00. 

The  greatest  work  Sienkiewicz  has  given  us. — Buffalo  Express. 

It  seems  superior  even  to  "Quo  Vadis"  in  strength  and 
realism. —  The  Churchman. 

The  construction  of  the  story  is  beyond  praise.  It  is  difficult  to 
conceive  of  any  one  who  will  not  pick  the  book  up  with  eagerness. 
—  Chicago  Evening  Post. 

There  are  some  scenes  in  the  book  that  for  power  and  excite- 
ment remind  one  of  the  great  encounter  between  Ursus  and  the  bull 
in  "  Quo  Vadis." — Minneapolis  Tribune. 

Vivid,  dramatic,  and  vigorous.  .  .  .  His  imaginative  power, 
his  command  of  language,  and  the  picturesque  scenes  he  sets  com- 
bine to  fascinate  the  reader. —  Philadelphia  Bulletin. 

A  book  that  holds  your  almost  breathless  attention  as  in  a  vise 
from  the  very  beginning,  for  in  it  love  and  strife,  the  most  thrilling 
of  all  worldly  subjects,  are  described  masterfully. —  The  Boston 
Journal. 

Another  remarkable  book.  His  descriptions  are  tremendously 
effective ;  one  can  almost  hear  the  sound  of  the  carnage  ;  to  the 
mind's  eye  the  scene  of  battle  is  unfolded  by  a  master  artist. —  The 
Hartford  Courant. 

Thrillingly  dramatic,  full  of  strange  local  color  and  very  faith- 
ful to  its  period,  besides  having  that  sense  of  the  mysterious  and 
weird  that  throbs  in  the  Polish  blood  and  infects  alike  their  music 
and  literature. —  The  St.  Paul  Globe. 

LITTLE,    BROWN,   &   COMPANY,    Publishers 
Boston,   Massachusetts 


OTHER  NOVELS  AND  ROMANCES 
by  Henryk  Sienkiewicz.  Translated  from 
the  Polish  by  Jeremiah  Curtin. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SOIL 

Crown  8vo.      $1.50. 

It  must  be  reckoned  among  the  finer  fictions  of  our  time,  and 
shows  its  author  to  be  almost  as  great  a  master  in  the  field  of  the 
domestic  novel  as  he  had  previously  been  shown  to  be  in  that  of 
imaginative  historical  romances. —  The  Dial,  Chicago. 

HANIA,  AND  OTHER  STORIES 

With  portrait.      Crown  8vo.      $1.50. 

At  the  highest  level  of  the  author's  genius. —  The  Outlook. 

SIELANKA,  A  FOREST  PICTURE 

And  Other  Stories.  With  frontispiece.  Crown  8vo. 
JI.50. 

They  exhibit  the  masterly  genius  of  Sienkiewicz  even  better 
than  his  longer  romances.  They  abound  in  fine  character-drawings 
and  beautiful  descriptions. —  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

LIFE  AND  DEATH  AND  OTHER 
LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

Illustrated.      i6mo.      Decorated  cloth,  $1.00. 

WITHOUT  DOGMA 

A  Novel  of  Modern  Poland.  (Translated  from  the 
Polish  by  Iza  Young.)      Crown  8vo.      $1.50. 

A  human  document  read  in  the  light  of  a  great  imagination. — 
Boston  Beacon. 

LITTLE,   BROWN,  &   COMPANY,    Publishers 
Boston,  Massachusetts 


OTHER  NOVELS  AND  ROMANCES 

by  Henryk  Sienkiewicz.    Translated  from 
the  Polish  by  Jeremiah  Curtin. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SOIL 

Crown  8vo.      $1.50. 

It  must  be  reckoned  among  the  finer  fictions  of  our  time,  and 
shows  its  author  to  be  almost  as  great  a  master  in  the  field  of  the 
domestic  novel  as  he  had  previously  been  shown  to  be  in  that  of 
imaginative  historical  romances. —  The  Dial,  Chicago. 

HANIA,  AND  OTHER  STORIES 

With  portrait.      Crown  8vo.      J  1.50. 

At  the  highest  level  of  the  author's  genius. —  The  Outlook. 

SIELANKA,  A  FOREST  PICTURE 

And  Other  Stories.     With  frontispiece.     Crown  8vo. 
J1..50. 

They  exhibit  the  masterly  genius  of  Sienkiewicz  even  better 
than  his  longer  romances.  They  abound  in  fine  character-drawings 
and  beautiful  descriptions. —  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

LIFE  AND  DEATH  AND  OTHER 
LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

Illustrated.      i6mo.      Decorated  cloth,  $1.00. 

WITHOUT  DOGMA 

A  Novel  of  Modern  Poland.     (Translated   from  the 
Polish  by  Iza  Young.)      Crown  8vo.      $1.50. 

A  human  document  read  in  the  light  of  a  great  imagination. — 
Boston  Beacon. 

LITTLE,   BROWN,   &   COMPANY,    Publishers 
Boston,  Massachusetts 


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